dadsThe Parenting Secrets No One Shares Over the years I’ve had many mom friends exclaim, “Why does no one ever tell you […]?!” Those sentences almost always end with a description of whatever is the newest parenting challenge in their homes. Although the sentences end differently, By Aruna Bewtra
booksBook Review: The Six Spellmakers of Dorabji Street One of my daughter’s complaints about the books in our local bookstore is the lack of stories set in present-day Mumbai. She says all the books are set in London, or New York, or California. While reading books is a By Aruna Bewtra
booksBook Review: The Secret Garden “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a classic story for kids. It was first published in 1911, and, more than one hundred years later, it still resonates with children around the world. The story follows an angry and spoilt By Aruna Bewtra
parentingParenting While Traveling Throughout my daughter’s life, my husband and I have traveled extensively with her. All ages had their own unique challenges and strengths. In some ways, traveling with a newborn is much easier than travelling with a toddler. The main struggle By Aruna Bewtra
potty trainingA Mom’s Tips for Easier Potty Training Some children will happily sit down and accept the toilet, but for other children (and their parents), toileting can become a challenge. My daughter is almost nine years old, so our toileting days are far behind us. However, having volunteered By Aruna Bewtra
booksBook Review: Charlotte’s Web I tend to shy away from children’s books that have death as a major plot point, as it is a difficult topic to address sensitively for children. However, a few books do manage to cope with death in a manner By Aruna Bewtra
booksBook Review: Anne of Green Gables When my daughter picked up a copy of “Anne of Green Gables,” by L.M. Montgomery, and asked for it as bedtime reading, I was initially hesitant. My concern was that the old-fashioned, rural setting and customs would not translate to By Aruna Bewtra
all agesGetting Your Child to Talk to You When my daughter first started school, I desperately wanted to know how each day had gone for her. However, the recall of a three and a half-year-old is similar to that of a gerbil, and I would often get nonsensical By Aruna Bewtra
parentingTroubleshooting Hectic Mornings Isn’t as Hard as You Think Mornings seem to be an especially stressful time for a lot of parents. Parents and children are tired, but running on a tight schedule, with little room for error. Perhaps because of this, many parents delegate large portions of the kids’ By Aruna Bewtra
booksBook Review: How to Train Your Dragon The first thing parents should know about Cressida Cowell’s “How To Train Your Dragon” books are that they bear almost no resemblance to the immensely popular “How To Train Your Dragon” movies. Although the main characters are Hiccup Horrendous Haddock By Aruna Bewtra
booksBetween Board Books and Chapter Books Somewhere around 2-3 years of age, my daughter was old enough to step away from board books. She could handle turning pages, and enjoyed bigger illustrations and slightly longer stories. However, she wasn’t ready to sit through long chapter books By Aruna Bewtra
booksHow Movies and Reading Can Play Nicely Together When I first decided to limit my daughter’s TV time, my reasons stemmed mainly from wanting her to learn to enjoy other activities (playing outdoors, games and puzzles, and mainly, reading). Then, when my daughter had just turned 5, we By Aruna Bewtra
babiesSeparation Anxiety: Tips from a Mom Who’s Been Through It 1) Fake it! Separation anxiety is not limited to the child. After about the fifth screaming meltdown, most sane parents begin to feel their own anxiety when it comes time to walk out the door. The key here is to By Aruna Bewtra
activitiesCheap Thrills We’ve all been there. A long afternoon with no plans and the only seeming options for reprieve from the cries of “I’m bored!” are television, IPad, or a mall. Of course, we know there are other options, but somehow it By Aruna Bewtra
booksBook Review: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH There are some children’s books that manage to be engaging, exciting, and also educational. “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH” by Robert C. O’Brien is one of those books. The novel centers around Mrs. Frisby, a widowed field mouse By Aruna Bewtra
milestonesThe Other Milestones When I became pregnant I suddenly became a very… diligent person. (I use “diligent” as a kind way of describing some rather obsessive behavior.) I read all those books that outline in detail what could go wrong at any given By Aruna Bewtra